Results 61-80 of 282 for speaker:Charles Ward

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Rail Network (30 Sep 2025)

Charles Ward: It is shocking that in this day and age that there is still no significant investment in regional rail in the north west. People in Inishowen who travel to Letterkenny or Donegal town must travel by bus. I know an 82-year-old man who travels on a bus to Donegal town to see a relative. He is on the bus for the guts of two hours. Many of my constituents do this and are travelling long...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Rail Network (30 Sep 2025)

Charles Ward: Donegal is the only county in the whole of Ireland in which the rail network was removed. We are so far behind that it will take billions of euro to get us up to date. When the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, was Minister for housing, he turned his back to us. I ask him, as Minister for Transport, not to turn his back on Donegal again.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Rail Network (30 Sep 2025)

Charles Ward: Will the lack of infrastructure investment in Donegal be addressed in any way in the budget next week?

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Rail Network (30 Sep 2025)

Charles Ward: 93. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport whether he intends to develop or reinstate railway services in Donegal; whether any progress has been made in the north west since the publication of the all-island strategic rail review last year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52139/25]

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (30 Sep 2025)

Charles Ward: It is a disgrace that we now face into October and legislation regarding retrospective payments for homeowners under the defective concrete scheme still has not been published despite the Taoiseach's housing Minister in June saying it would be. I expect the funds will be made available in the Government's budget next week, and if the Government fails to properly address this crisis yet again...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (30 Sep 2025)

Charles Ward: They just need a date.

Written Answers — Department of Children, Disability and Equality: Child and Family Agency (30 Sep 2025)

Charles Ward: 774. To ask the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the immediate actions being taken to address the understaffing and funding issues within Tusla; the means by which she plans to address the understaffing in the north west, specifically regarding caseloads of children in foster care; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51503/25]

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht – Questions on Policy or Legislation (24 Sep 2025)

Charles Ward: I have written to the Minister, Deputy Heydon, regarding the closure of the ISPCA's animal centre in Donegal, a devastating decision that has detrimental animal welfare effects in the north-west region. Just over a week ago in Donegal, we saw 14 dogs rescued from horrific conditions but these dogs have nowhere to go. They will travel a considerable distance to reach the nearest facility,...

Child Poverty and Homelessness: Motion [Private Members] (24 Sep 2025)

Charles Ward: I thank the Labour Party for bringing forward this motion today. I fully support it, particularly its call for budget 2026 to commit €630 million towards measures to relieve child poverty and homelessness, as well as its call on the Government to introduce a total ban on evictions of children into homelessness, and the legislation to prioritise housing needs of homeless families. As...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (23 Sep 2025)

Charles Ward: We have unethical engineering going on in this scheme. That cannot be denied. A number of people were downgraded. They were granted full demolition. An engineer came out, did their job, examined it and then it was passed over to the Housing Agency. Someone in the agency looked at that fellow engineer's work and then downgraded it. This is unethical. It is unethical engineering. What...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (23 Sep 2025)

Charles Ward: I am not going to mince my words. The defective concrete scandal is a national emergency the Minister's Government wilfully mismanaged for over a decade. The Government has worked hard to fool the public and portray that we are being looked after, but the truth is we are now in the second failed scheme. My staff see suicidal ideation every week in our office. The uncertainty and the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Fisheries and Maritime Affairs: Inshore Fishing: National Inshore Fishermen's Association (23 Sep 2025)

Charles Ward: I thank the witnesses for coming in today. It is particularly shocking to hear that bluefin tuna in our waters is being fished by other nations but because we have no proper quota the French and British vessels continue to fish for sea bass on our very doorstep but we have not been able to fish for them since the 1990s. Looking at that, and coming from a rural environment surrounded by the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Fisheries and Maritime Affairs: Inshore Fishing: National Inshore Fishermen's Association (23 Sep 2025)

Charles Ward: I will get back to Mr. Desmond on that. The first question has been answered. We will move on. Could the witnesses give me the background on why the north west herring advisory committee does not have any inshore representatives? Since when has this been the case? Why has the brown crab working group stopped meeting?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Fisheries and Maritime Affairs: Inshore Fishing: National Inshore Fishermen's Association (23 Sep 2025)

Charles Ward: I will move on. I am aware of the time. Does Mr. Desmond believe the Cornwall model is a better-managed fishery, and does he believe we could mirror it?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Fisheries and Maritime Affairs: Inshore Fishing: National Inshore Fishermen's Association (23 Sep 2025)

Charles Ward: Yes.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Fisheries and Maritime Affairs: Inshore Fishing: National Inshore Fishermen's Association (23 Sep 2025)

Charles Ward: I am beyond words at this stage. That is all from me. I thank the witnesses.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Fisheries and Maritime Affairs: Inshore Fishing: National Inshore Fishermen's Association (23 Sep 2025)

Charles Ward: No.

Special Education School Places: Motion [Private Members] (17 Sep 2025)

Charles Ward: September is a very exciting and important month for many children as they return to school. For some, however, the excitement has been unfairly and cruelly stripped away as their parents struggle to find appropriate school places for them in their localities. As a parent, I cannot imagine the heartbreak facing parents who are unable to secure such places for their children. The Minister...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Work Permits (8 Sep 2025)

Charles Ward: 704. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the details of the average processing time for employment permit appeals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46593/25]

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Departmental Schemes (8 Sep 2025)

Charles Ward: 2765. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if additional funding has been allocated for the local improvement scheme in Donegal in 2025; the number of outstanding local improvement scheme roads in Donegal; if he will review the local improvement scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46580/25]